Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune

Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune

Are you planning to deploy Microsoft 365 for macOS using Intune? The good news is that the latest version of Microsoft 365 apps for macOS can be installed using Microsoft Intune.

With Intune, you can add Microsoft 365 Apps for Mac to install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Microsoft AutoUpdate on managed macOS devices. Note that users must have an account and license to use these apps.

One of the available app types in Intune is Microsoft 365 apps for macOS devices. By selecting this app type in Intune, you can assign and install Microsoft 365 apps to devices you manage that run macOS. Similarly, you can also deploy Microsoft 365 apps for Windows devices using Intune.

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Install and Update Third Party Applications with Patch My PC

If you have licences for Microsoft Project Online desktop client and Microsoft Visio Online Plan 2, you can also assign and install apps for them. In the Microsoft Intune admin center, the available Microsoft 365 apps are displayed as a single entry in the list of apps.

Unlike Windows, Mac devices do not come preloaded with Microsoft 365 apps. You can either install them manually, or use Intune to distribute the M365 apps to your macOS enterprise devices. The macOS apps are deployed using the Microsoft Intune management agent for macOS. Learn how to deploy DMG apps for macOS with Intune.

Microsoft 365 Apps for MacOS

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based subscription service that brings together premium versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneDrive, with the best tools for the way people work today. Recently, Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus has been renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. It’s generally referred to as Microsoft 365 Apps.

If you open the Mac App Store, you’ll find the Microsoft 365 app suite, which includes a total of six apps as a bundle. Although you can download and install Microsoft 365 for Mac, accessing your data will require a subscription.

When installed through the Mac App Store, the Microsoft 365 apps install as a single package, and you cannot customise the installation. With Intune, you can include or exclude M365 apps based on business requirements and assign them to macOS device/user groups.

Microsoft 365 Apps for Mac
Microsoft 365 Apps for MacOS

Prerequisites

The prerequisites for deploying Microsoft 365 Apps for macOS using Intune are as follows.

  1. Devices must be running macOS version 10.15 or later. Intune now supports macOS 10.15 and later. Review the Intune Monthly updates for more information.
  2. For deploying apps, the macOS devices must be enrolled in Intune. Refer to the guide on how to enroll macOS in Intune.
  3. Create pilot group consisting of macOS devices/users to which you want to target the deployment.

Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune

Follow the below steps to deploy Microsoft 365 apps for macOS using Intune.

  • Sign in to Microsoft Intune admin center.
  • Navigate to Apps > macOS > macOS Apps.
  • To add a new app to Intune, click on the Add button.
  • On the Select App Type panel, select Microsoft 365 Apps > macOS.
Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune
Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune

On the App Information tab, you can customize the following details:

  • Suite Name
  • Suite Description
  • Category
  • Display as featured app in company portal
  • Information URL, Privacy URL
  • Developer notes
  • Owner details

Most of the information (details for Microsoft 365 apps for Mac) is automatically populated by Intune. You cannot customize the logo here because Intune automatically assigns a logo for the app. Click Next to continue.

Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune
Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune

You can use scope tags to determine who can see client app information in Intune. Click Select scope tags to optionally add scope tags for the app suite. Click Next to display the Assignments page.

On the Assignments tab, you select the Azure groups to deploy M365 apps for macOS. Select the Required or Available for macOS enrolled devices group assignments for the app suite. Select one or more user or device groups to whom you want to assign the deployment. The groups you select are shown in the list, and will receive your policy. Click Next.

Note: You cannot uninstall the “Microsoft 365 apps for macOS” app suite through Intune.

Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune
Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune

On the Review+create page, review the values and settings you entered for the app suite. When you are done, click Create to add the app to Intune.

Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune
Deploy Microsoft 365 for MacOS using Intune

The Overview blade is displayed, and the suite appears in the list of apps as a single entry. You also get a notification confirming that “Microsoft 365 apps for macOS” has been created successfully in Intune console.

Deploy Microsoft 365 Apps for Mac
Deploy Microsoft 365 Apps for Mac

Monitor Microsoft M365 Apps Deployment for MacOS

In this step, we will check the Intune portal to see if the Microsoft 365 apps suite has been successfully installed on our macOS devices. The Overview tab of Microsoft 365 Apps section shows the device status and user status.

From the screenshot below, we see the Microsoft 365 has been successfully installed on our Mac devices. In case you find any errors with the deployment, you can collect Intune logs from remote devices for further troubleshooting.

Monitor Microsoft M365 Apps Deployment for MacOS
Monitor Microsoft M365 Apps Deployment for MacOS

Go to Monitor > Device Status, and here you will find the macOS devices on which the M365 app suite application deployment is successful. This completes the steps for deploying Microsoft 365 apps for macOS with Intune.

Monitor Microsoft M365 Apps Deployment for MacOS
Monitor Microsoft M365 Apps Deployment for MacOS
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